


New hope in the velvet room

by Subaruchan192



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Afterlife, Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, Hope, Hopeful Ending, New Chance, New Hope, Redemption, Regret, The Velvet Room (Persona Series), friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 21:38:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17553683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subaruchan192/pseuds/Subaruchan192
Summary: The phantome thieves were just erased from reality and Igor was freed from the captivity ofthe Holy Grail. Joker wandered around in velvet room to motivate his teammates back into fighting, when he found someone he did not expect in here. Goro Akechi! Joker always regretted how the entire affair with Shido had turned out and offers Akechi a chance to redeem himself. Will the former ace detective take it?





	New hope in the velvet room

**Author's Note:**

> I always like Akechi despite all the things he did. The banters between Akira and him in Leblanc were so funny and I thought, they got along very well. Akechi's last word's made me thing, so I decided to write this little one shot. I hope you enjoy it. :)
> 
> Please be aware that Englisch isn't my mother tongue. So sorry for grammatical errors :) I tried my best

A new hope in the velvet room

 

Akira Karusu stopped right on his way, when something caught his eye. The cold, blue light of the prison inside the velvet room hid most of it in the shadows. The leader of the Phantom Thieves had almost missed one floor, which should not be there. So far, the room had been symmetrical, and he had found all his teammates. So, who was imprisoned in this hidden floor?

Cautiously, but filled with curiosity, Akira took a step forward. The place, where he had stood, disappeared into darkness and his steps echoed from an invisible ceiling. With every step he took, his thought went wilder.

The floor was longer than any other before and led more and more away from Igor and Lavenza. They did not hold him back, so it could not be forbidden, right? Not that Joker would care. Not after what he got to know. He hadn’t been nothing more than a pawn right from the beginning.  A mere figure in a game of two god-like figures. Both of them distorted in their own way.

Finally, Akira reached the last cell. He did not know, who he would expect in there, but out of all possibilities, he never expected him.

Sunken to the ground sat Akechi. The traitor, the murderer, the culprit, the poor puppet. His shoulder long, brown hair was messy and dirty. His former black clothes were torn apart and dammed with dried blood. He looked abused just like mankind had treated him.

“Akechi…”, he whispered almost toneless. He still could not believe that he was alive in a way. In the distorted logic of the metaverse it did not make any sense, that he was alive, tough Joker had learned that nothing was impossible.

The former ace detective seemed to snap out of an unconsciousness. He blinked slowly, like Jokers voice came from a faraway place. Akechi turned his head around and looked as shocked as Joker was feeling.

“Karusu…” His voice was dull. The pretended smile or the sharp wits were gone. He truly was broken, now. “That’s impossible.”

“I thought the same.”, Joker replied.

“But I’m dead…this is supposed to be my hell. Isolation.” Akechi frowned, then he looked even more shocked. “Wait, does that mean you died, too?”

“Sort off…” A small smile twitched around his lips. “A lot happened since our last encounter, Akechi.”

“Thought so…” The inmate lowered his head and closed his eyes without asking what had happened. “Did you keep your promise?”

“Yes, we did.”

“Good…” A short nod and a sigh of relief escaped Akechi. His body relaxed and it seemed like a huge pressure was lifted off his shoulder. “Thank you.”

That was not, what Joker expected to hear from Crow. Actually, he did not know, what he had expected. Not after all that happened between them. A melancholy sadness covered Jokers mind like a blanket. He wished it would have never turned out like that, but maybe it was a new chance for a new beginning.

“I promised.”, was his answer. Akechi nodded again, but he did not seem happy, not even relieved anymore. The once charismatic and gorgeous detective was a picture of sadness.

“What happened, Joker?” His voice was nothing more than a whisper. “How did you die?”

Now, it was Akiras turn to sigh. He slid down the cold wall and wrapped an arm around his leg. Thoughtfully, he looked at the place, where the ceiling should be, but all he found was darkness.

He tried his best to explain everything that happened after they had stolen Shidos treasure and what they had found out about Momentos. After he ended his messy explanation, he hoped that Akechi was able to get it. He was not sure, if he himself would be able to understand it. Goro did not speak for quite a while, trying to process the new gained information.

“So…”, he started slowly. “Let me recap this. The centre of Momentos is a prison, which represent societies moral and rules. Those who escape from it, develop a place. Those, whose heart you changed, returned. In the centre of the prison is the Holy Grail, who was created by humanities wish of an almighty power. Now, the Holy Grail wants to unite Momentos with the reality. Thou you don’t exist in the public cognition, you simply disappeared and ended up here.”

“You understood it better than I did.” Akira laughed dryly. “Yes, that is right.”

He turned to the culprit, who ironically became one of his friends.

“Why are you telling me all this?” His voice was dark and full of guilt. Akira knew that he regretted what he did. He proved it with his sacrifice. “Why did you not leave with your friends?”

Goro turned his head and all his disbelief mirrored in his hazel eyes. It was hard for Akechi to believe that someone cared about him and did not want to leave him behind. Akira sighed and ruffled through his black curls.

“I was glad, when I found you. The people protect the Holy Grail. I was hoping for your help.”

“You want me back as a member of the Phantom Thieves?” Akechi threw his head against the wall and laughed hysterically. “Then you are a maniac.”

“You needed long to notice that.” Joker smirked amused. Akechi threw a gaze at him. Joker had always been such a tease. To be honest, Akechi had always liked it.

“But yes, this is what I want. I could need you, Robin Hood and Loki.” Akechi’s skills were undeniable and his Personas were strong. It was hard to find those, who own almighty, curse and bless skills. They were effectual against most Shadows. Akechi hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

“No, the others would never accept me back.”

“Yes, they would. They don’t appreciate, what you did, but they understand. Even Haru and Futaba. You heard what they said, before you closed off the gate. We did not want you to die. We wanted to fight with you against Shido. You were one of us. Or can you deny that we get along well, despite everything that was hidden?”

“We both might. We were the two side of the same coin like you told me.”

“That we were. Destined to compete against each other, but although two Gods wanted us to be enemies, we could not fully live up to it. Even when I knew you were the culprit and about to kill me, I enjoyed our bickering in Leblanc. I see you as a friend.”

“You truly are a maniac, Karusu.” The traitor once again shook his head.

“Do you remember, what you said, before you closed us off?”

“That I wished, we would have met a few years earlier.”, Akechi mumbled. Akira nodded.

“Was it another lie?”

“No, it wasn’t.” His voice was shallow, when he answered, but hesitated less than Akira had expected.

“Didn’t you enjoy the time with us?” Joker threw a piercing gaze over at him and Akechi knew it was time for the truth. At least for once. That he owed him after all, although it was still hard for him to admit. Akechi had been proud that he had always been independent. Well, it did not matter, because Joker would notice a lie anyway.

“I did.” The words came out hesitantly, as if he could not believe them himself.

“All of you were quite impressive actors. I truly had no idea that I was uncovered.”

“That’s because we weren’t acting. We appreciated your intelligence, knowledge and support. Actually, I hoped that you would change your mind, while you were with us. I always had a felling, that there was far more behind your betrayal. In the end, I was right.” Akira sighed heavily and looked at him with a sad gaze in his eyes. “I’m sorry for what Shido did to your mother and you. I am sorry that it ended up this way, that I wasn’t able to convince you that we should fight together.”

The leader of the Phantom Thieves gulped. He truly felt sorry that he hadn’t been able to save Akechi. He helped so many people, but he had not been able to help one of those, who needed him the most.

“You do not need to apologise, Karusu.” For the first time, since Akira had found him in here, Goros voice sounded warm. “I wanted to kill you after all. Tell me, how did you find out?”

Joker smirked again and told him everything of how they uncovered his plan. When he ended, Akechi laughed loudly and, as far as Akira could assess it, it was honest.

“Pancakes…the damn pancakes. I cannot believe it.” He shook his head, when his laughter finally died. “I just wanted to make smalltalk to get a connection to you. Who would have thought that such a little sentence would expose me? Well done.”

“It wouldn’t, if you haven’t act like you heard him the first time.”

“You truly are far more intelligent than I expected.”

“You should stop thinking that every one is stupider than you.”, Akira recommanded.

“Maybe, but then, you would be dead.” The detective smiled honestly, but it disappeared quickly. “May I ask you another question?”

Akira frowned. Why did Akechi ask for permission? It was not like they haven’t spoken as openly as they could within the prison of their plan.

“You seemed to have know Shido, before he was uncovered as my puppeteer. How?”

Akira face darkened, when he heard the question and Akechi noticed that he might have hit a weak spot.

“You don’t know?” Joker asked, his voiced pressed through clenched teeth. The detective frowned and shook his head. Why should he?

“You know that I am on probation.” Akechi nodded.

“It was your fa…” Akira stopped within the sentence and restarted the sentence. “It was Shido, who sued me.”

The brown eyes of Akechi blew wide from surprise and he turned entire towards Akira.

“Why?”

“One of my extracurricular activities was cancelled, so I went home early.” Suddenly, Jokers mouth was dry. He still didn’t like to remember what happened this evening, although it led to one of the best and most complicated things that had ever happened to him. “I heard a woman screaming for help. I could not ignore it, so I followed the voice. I saw, how Shido was trying to force her into his car. She was obviously tried to fight him off, so I stepped in. Somehow, it ended with a struggle and he fell to the ground. He got angry, called the police and blackmailed the woman to testify that I had attacked him without a reason. So, I got probation and the court advised to send me away. My parents happily obliged to get rid of the family disgrace.”

Akechi was stunned. He could not believe, how cruel his father was, tough it actually amazed him, that he was still surprised. So, Joker had also suffered from him and had been left alone. After he was sentenced guilty, he was unwanted, just like Akechi had been all his life.

“That is why I understand you, Goro.” It was the first time that Akira ever used his first name and it struck him like a hammer. Akiras voice was soft, like a gentle touch and Akechi was not sure, if he could handle it. He had been on the edge for so long. What he did had been awful. Still Akira offered him a second chance. Akechi simply could not understand it. “You suffered even more under those distorted adults than we did, but you are free, now. Shidos treasure was stolen, he’s back to normal and you’re free of the Holy Grails game.”

With these words, Akira stood up and reached his hand out to the former detective.

“So, it is up to you to decide. Do you want to stay the culprit, manipulated by others, or do want to return and be Goro Akechi again and fight for a new hope with us?”

Akechi starred at the gloved hand offered to him. Nervously, he bit his lips, because he was not sure, if he deserved it. It seemed like Joker saw something in him, he was blind to see. Maybe, he did not deserve it, but they were asking for his help. He did not have the right to deny it and if he was truly honest, he wanted a new start. He had been pushed around, abused and used his entire life. He longed for nothing more than making his own decision. Finally, Akechi nodded and took Akiras hand. In this moment, his body started to glow and he was dressed in his original, white outfit. Akira was glad about it. It meant that he turned away from his culprit self.

“Yo, Joker. Where are you?” They heard Ryuji’s voice echoing through the velvet room. Akechi and Akira nodded towards each other and walked back to finally free humanity.

 Both did not notice, how Arsene and Robin Hood shook their hands above their heads.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little one shot. :) Have a great weekend!


End file.
